


Taking A Chance

by Jacie



Category: NCIS
Genre: Big Bang Challenge, Case Fic, Crime Scenes, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Feelings, Hospitals, M/M, Murder, Pre-Slash, Shooting, Team
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-09
Updated: 2017-10-09
Packaged: 2019-01-15 04:59:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12314238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jacie/pseuds/Jacie
Summary: The team catches a case that seems all too easy. There's a dead body, and a man still at the scene who admits to pulling the trigger. Gibbs' gut tells him that the case isn't going to be as simple as it seems. The team sets out to unravel what really happened. Meanwhile, Tony battles over his feelings for Gibbs.





	1. A Touch

**Author's Note:**

> Notes: Written for the 2017 NCIS Big Bang Challenge, hosted at the LiveJournal ncis_bang community.  
> This story also includes minor/implied Tim/Abby
> 
> Disclaimer:  
> Don’t know them. It’s not true. I made it all up.
> 
> Warnings : Violence, injuries, crime scene, murder investigation, sexual situations
> 
> Spoilers: S1E 19 Dead Man Talking, also for the movie _Beaches_
> 
> Credits: “ _Bell Bottom Blues_ ” lyrics by Eric Clapton  
> Crime scene somewhat inspired by an episode of Joe Kenda, Homicide Hunter.
> 
> Many thanks to Jilly James for the fabulous artwork!
> 
> And to Naemi for her beta work, which of course only improves my stories. *G*

“Where is your head at, DiNozzo?” Gibbs asked sternly.

Tony could almost feel the burn of Gibbs’ eyes on him. He paused, then ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m here, Boss,” he said softly. “Right here.”

Gibbs leaned dangerously close, invading Tony’s space. His voice lowered to a whisper as he tapped the tip of his forefinger against the desk. “I need you here, in the game. Is something about the case bugging you?”

Tony subconsciously rubbed a finger across his lower lip. “No, of course not. I’m a professional. You know that.” 

“Yeah?” Gibbs asked as he leaned away. “A professional what?” He smirked playfully as he walked back toward his desk with a noticeable bounce in his step.

Kate tried not to laugh as she glanced over to Tony. A quick glare from Tony and her smile immediately faded as her eyes dropped back to her computer screen.

Tony shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he wondered if people could truly become turned on by the odor of sawdust. What was it about Gibbs? His blue eyes? His smell? His firm hands? His gruff voice? That Tony felt betrayed on the case when he found out the woman he’d kissed was really a man, and that he thought it was hot the way Gibbs stood firm and shot her in the forehead at point-blank range like he was defending Tony’s honor, although, it was truly payback for the murder of Chris Pacci? Still, Gibbs was hot. There was no denying that fact. Tony glanced around the room before reaching down to adjust himself. That was a mistake. The brief touch only made things worse. Rising from his seat he almost bolted toward the men’s room. 

Gibbs and Kate watched Tony leave, then locked eyes. Tim had barely looked up before turning his attention back to his own computer screen. 

“Guess his dinner didn’t agree with him,” said Gibbs as he turned back to reading a report.

Tony grabbed a couple paper towels and made sure no one else was in the bathroom before he closed himself into the furthest stall and jacked himself off. How could he continue working for a man who was suddenly making him hard? What had changed? He’d worked for Gibbs for over two years, and this was a new development. Or was it?

As he closed his eyes, Tony allowed his mind to wander back. He remembered the day Gibbs had kicked Vivian off of his team. At first, Tony had been concerned; perhaps even the slightest bit nervous. Other agents had told him that Gibbs was a hard man to work for. Tony had smiled and quipped back that he liked his men hard. He enjoyed teasing other people and keeping them guessing about his sexual preferences.

Then there were the meaningful glances; the way they could almost read each other’s minds when they were together; the brushing touches; the way that Gibbs never seemed to be _too close_ whenever he got in Tony’s face. There was little that Tony enjoyed more than being teamed with Gibbs on a stakeout. There was no denying that the pair worked well together.

He found himself wondering about Gibbs in ways that a subordinate should never think about his boss. The memory of Gibbs’ warm breath on his skin, the blue eyes mere inches from his own, and the voice that was all kinds of sexy was enough to bring Tony to orgasm.

A minute later, the door squeaked as it opened and Gibbs’ voice echoed lightly off the tiles. “Hey! Skippy! Did you fall in?”

Quickly wiping himself clean, Tony replied, “No, Boss. I’m good.” Before opening the stall, he shoved the wad of paper towels into his pocket and flushed the toilet. Gibbs stood close and watched Tony washing his hands. “I ran into Myers in the hall. We chatted a bit.”

“About what?” Gibbs questioned, his searing eyes studying Tony’s every move in the mirror.

Tony shrugged and reached for another paper towel. “He found out that I kissed Voss. McGee or Kate must have said something. Loose lips, you know. Myers was asking me what it was like to kiss a guy. I think maybe he’s a closeted gay man. Wouldn’t that be something?”

“Why’s that?”

“NCIS is trying to get a more diverse range of agents. Kate is one of the few female agents in the building. Maybe we could use a few gays on the team, too.”

Gibbs lightly smacked the back of Tony’s head. “I don’t care about an agent’s sex or sexual preference. Do you know what I do care about?”

Tony flinched as he quickly walked passed Gibbs and tossed the balled up paper towels into the trash can. “Solve rate?” 

“Focus, DiNozzo. I want agents who can keep their eye on the game. Is that you? Are you a focused agent?”

“Absolutely,” Tony said as he pointed to his eyes. “These peepers are always focused on the game. I’m in it to win it.” 

“Good. Then get back to your desk and finish up your damn report.”

It had been a long day. Rubbing his hands across his face, Tony tried to concentrate on finishing his paperwork. Voss’ body was down in autopsy with Ducky and Jason Patel, Ducky’s temporary assistant. The lips that were kissing him mere hours ago were now cold and lifeless.

Tony ran a fingertip across his lower lip again. He remembered kissing Voss and wondered what it would be like to kiss Gibbs. Gibbs would be a forceful kisser, of that he was sure.

“Can’t stop thinking about kissing Voss, can you?” Kate asked.

“What? No! I’m just trying to think of the best way to word my report is all.”

“Looking for adjectives to describe Voss’ lips? How about soft and delectable? Was the lipstick flavored?”

Tony rubbed his temples. “Enough with the jokes, okay? She wasn’t the first person I kissed in the line of duty and she probably won’t be the last.”

McGee shook his head as he typed. “You have to hand it to Voss. She hid in plain view for three years. No one suspected. She almost got away with all those millions.”

“Technically, he wasn’t a woman yet,” Kate chimed in. “His surgery was scheduled next month in Bangkok.”

“I can’t imagine getting your plumbing turned inside out,” said Abby, her butt resting against the desk McGee was using while he was on Temporary Assigned Duty with Gibbs’ team.

They all looked up, seeing Gibbs coming down the stairs after a meeting with the director. “What are you doing up here, Abs?” he asked. “Got something new on the case?”

“No. McGee and I have plans after work. I was waiting for him to finish up his report.”

“Rule number twelve,” Gibbs snapped.

“He’s not officially on the team. Yet.”

“You still interested in a permanent field assignment, McGee?” Gibbs asked as he took his seat.

Tim straightened his posture, and replied excitedly, “Yes, sir.”

Gibbs donned his reading glasses and nodded slowly. “Keep working hard. You’ll get there one day.”

Tony, Kate and Abby could almost see McGee deflate in his seat as his cheeks reddened. “Yes, sir.”

“Don’t call me sir.”

~~~ NCIS BIG BANG CHALLENGE 2017 ~~~ 

Across town, Jewel brushed back her long, dark hair and settled her baby into the playpen. Her cousin Sheila was beside her.

“She is going to grow up as beautiful as her mother,” said Sheila.

Jewel smoothed the baby’s soft hair. “I can’t believe she’s eighteen months old already. Thank you so much for taking us in. I don’t know where else we could have gone.”

Sheila rubbed her cousin’s shoulder. “Oh sweetie, I love having you here. It’s nice having the girls outnumber the boys.”

“I love living here with you, but if things work out with Eddie, I’m hoping we may be moving before Amberlyn is in school.”

Shelia walked toward the kitchen. “Honey, it won’t take that long. I see the way he looks at you. That man is smitten.”

“He’s so good with Amberlyn, too. She will need a stable father figure while she grows up.”

“What about Brian? After all, he is her father.”

Jewel shook her head. “Brian was a mistake. He’s a fun guy, but he hasn’t grown up himself. He’s not ready to raise a child. If I get married, I hope Brian will release his parental rights so my husband can adopt her. I just don’t trust him with her.”

“You don’t think he would harm her, do you?”

“No, it’s not like that. But I can’t see him changing a diaper, or remembering to feed her. He’d probably try to give her beer and chicken wings. I don’t know how he would handle a crying child. It worries me. I’m glad he’s deployed so I don’t even have to deal with it most of the time.”

“You could supervise his visits. I’m sure he wants to be involved in her life,” Sheila suggested as she plated up appetizers and moved them to the coffee table.

“I don’t want to encourage him. It’s like he can’t let go. I don’t mind him visiting here since he’s Blake’s brother, but I don’t want to go anywhere else with him. I’ve told him I don’t want to date him anymore, but it’s like he just doesn’t get it. It hasn’t sunk in and he still seems to think we’ll be together one day.”

“If Eddie puts a ring on your finger, Brian just might get the message real fast.”

“I don’t know. I hope so.”

Glancing out the window, Sheila said, “Here’s Blake and Eddie. I’m going to check on Darren and see if he wants to watch part of the game with his daddy before he has to go to bed.”

“I think Amberlyn is going to sleep right through it.”

“I don’t know how. Men can get very loud and emotional over a game.”

The evening started out well. Blake and Eddie snacked, drank beer and watched the game. Sheila kept the men supplied with food and beverages. When she took the time to sit beside her husband on the sofa, she would still occasionally turn to her young son, Darren, watching him play with Jewel and Amberlyn. In her mind, she could see Darren growing up into a kind, sensitive young man. The thought brought a smile to her face.

When there was a knock at the door during a commercial break, Blake stood up and answered. “Brian, what are you doing here?”

Dressed in his Navel uniform, Brian pushed his way inside the house and hugged his older brother. “Aren’t you going to invite me in? I got leave and thought I’d come visit. I wanted to surprise you.”

“Yeah, yeah. Come on in. We’re watching the game. Have a seat and I will grab you a beer.”

~~~ NCIS BIG BANG CHALLENGE 2017 ~~~ 

It had been an incredibly long day, but Gibbs insisted that they all finish their reports before leaving for the weekend. Kate was just shutting down her system when Gibbs’ cell phone rang.

“No one leaves,” he called before resuming his conversation.

Tony and Kate rolled their eyes.

“What’s happening?” asked Tim.

“By the sound of it, you guys just pulled another case,” Abby said a little too cheerily.

“No, I had plans for the weekend,” said Tony. “Big, big plans.”

Abby smiled as she glanced over to Tony. “If I’m remembering correctly, Team Gibbs has the weekend duty, so whatever it is, the case is yours.”

Flipping his phone closed, Gibbs headed for the elevator. “Grab your gear. Abby, go home. Get some sleep. We’ll need you early.”

“Me? I’m not on weekend duty.”

“You are now,” Gibbs said, as Tony and Kate grabbed their packs.

Tim hesitated, then looked to Abby. “Should I go with them?”

“If you want to be a field agent one day, you better catch that elevator.”

He planted a quick kiss on her cheek before running to the elevator; barely squeezing in before the door slid closed.

~~~ NCIS BIG BANG CHALLENGE 2017 ~~~ 

Cases were never this easy.

When the team arrived at the crime scene, it was under the darkness of night. The dim glow of a nearby streetlamp offered very little visibility as they approached the address Gibbs had memorized. There was a sheet-covered corpse in the driveway, and a young man being treated at the back of an ambulance. He was obviously shaken. Several neighbors stood around, gawking at the scene.

Gibbs pushed his car door shut and scanned the area. One of the police officers nodded an acknowledgment and began walking his way. “NCIS Special Agents Gibbs, DiNozzo, Todd and McGee,” Gibbs announced, indicating his team.

“Once we saw the uniform and knew he was Navy, we just covered the body and called NCIS,” the officer said as he approached.

“Did you pull his ID?” Gibbs asked, watching as Ducky and Jason arrived in the ME van.

“No, sir.”

Gibbs flashed his credentials. “Don’t call me sir. It’s Special Agent Gibbs.”

“Right. Special Agent Gibbs. I’m Officer Dunhill. My partner over there is Officer Grant.”

“Did you confirm he is actually in the Navy?”

“The perp gave us the victim’s name and told us he was on leave from the Navy. Not much more to tell.”

“We’ll do our own investigation.”

“Just saying, it’s an open and close case. He admitted to killing the guy. They’re brothers. There is no question about the identity of the deceased.”

“Did you clear the house?”

“He said he’s the only one here. Apparently, they were watching television and there was a disagreement. He said he had to kill his brother. That and keeps mumbling about how is he going to tell their father. They’ve been drinking. I could smell the beer on his breath.”

Gibbs nodded and glanced around from the body, to the house, to the ambulance. “We’ll take it from here, Officer Dunhill. If you don’t mind, we’d appreciate you and your partner keeping the neighbors off of our crime scene.”

“We can do that.”

The officers spread out, as two more arrived to assist. 

Gibbs looked to his team. “DiNozzo, shoot and sketch. McGee, bag and tag. Kate, clear the house. I’ll be in after I question our survivor.”

Tim looked at the man sitting at the back of the ambulance. “Survivor? Not suspect? He admitted that he killed his brother.”

“We’ll see,” said Gibbs. 

“Yeah, Boss. But he admitted to it.”

“Not to me.”

Gibbs approached the ambulance and flashed his badge to the wounded man and the EMTs. He noticed the injured man wasn’t in handcuffs as he was being treated. He had a blanket around his shoulders and shook as his wounds were cleaned and bandaged. “I’m Special Agent Gibbs, NCIS. I understand the deceased was Navy. Can you identify him?”

“Of course. He’s my brother, Seaman Brian Barnes.”

“What’s your name?”

“Blake.”

“Who is older?”

“I am. How am I going to tell my father that I killed my little brother?”

Standing close to the vehicle, Gibbs studied Blake. “Why did you kill him?”

“I didn’t have a choice. He came at me. I didn’t have a choice.” Blake looked down and shook his head, then wiped his tear-streaked cheeks. “I wish I could take it back.”

“Gibbs!” Kate yelled from just inside the house. “You have to come in here. Now!”

Gibbs turned back to Blake. “Do you need to go to the hospital?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Sit tight. Officer Dunhill, if the ambulance needs to leave, please detain Mr. Barnes in your patrol car until I can arrange for transport.”

“Will do.”

Tony and McGee had already entered the house before Gibbs. In the living room, McGee was doubled over, appearing rather green and unsettled. Gibbs pushed passed Kate and saw another young man dead in the hallway. Blood was pooled on the floor and traces of red smeared the walls and a door. 

DiNozzo stood further down the hallway. “No one in the bedrooms, but there is another body in the bathroom. I found a couple bullet holes down the hall near one of the bedrooms.”

Gibbs moved closer and saw there was a young woman’s body lying in the bathtub. Her eyes were still open, staring at nothing. Copious amounts of blood colored the tub. Spatters of red dripped from the walls and pooled on the floor. He turned back to Tim and called, “Get Ducky in here.”

Tony snapped a few pictures. “She has stab wounds. A lot of them. Eyes are open. She bled out quickly.”

Gibbs studied the body in the hallway. “These appear to be defensive wounds to his arms. Looks like he was stabbed in the stomach. Stay here. I’m going to go talk to our witness. He admitted to killing his brother. I’m going to find out who these two are and why he didn’t mention them.”

Ducky stepped into the hallway as Gibbs was exiting. “Oh, my.”

“You and Patel may have to make a couple trips on this one.”

“We will take care of them all. It will be a busy night in Autopsy.”

“It’s not like they’re going anywhere,” said Gibbs as he continued out the door. 

The ambulance was just pulling away. Gibbs looked for Officer Dunhill, and approached his car. Blake sat in the backseat of the cruiser. “Did anyone go into the house?”

Officer Dunhill shook his head. “No, Agent Gibbs. When we arrived we saw the suspect kneeling over the body in the driveway. We took the suspect into custody and asked what happened and who the victim was. As soon as we heard he was Navy, we asked dispatch to contact NCIS.”

“There are two more bodies inside the house.”

The officer’s eyes widened. “He didn’t say anything about anyone else being hurt. We asked if there was anyone else and he said he was the last one.”

Gibbs scribbled into his notepad. Returning to the house, he saw Ducky still working on the body in the hallway. “DiNozzo, you’re in charge. I’m taking Mr. Barnes in for questioning. I’ll send another agent with a car to pick you up.”

“I’m sure we’ll be here a while,” said Tony. “There is a lot to go through. Did he say anything about the kids?”

“Kids?”

“There’s a playpen in the living room, children’s clothing in one of the bedrooms and a crib in another along with some baby clothes. I searched the entire house. There is no sign that they’re still here.”

“Maybe they were visiting grandma. We need to find those kids,” suggested Gibbs, striding out of the house. 

As he approached the officer’s cruiser, Dunhill said, “Agent Gibbs, I’ll be happy to drive you and the perp to NCIS. It doesn’t look like your sedan is made to transport suspects.”

Gibbs stood still for a moment, then nodded. Flipping open his phone, he called Tony. “Change of plans. One of the officers will transport me and Barnes back to NCIS.”

Tony was already running across the yard. “Keys?”

Gibbs tossed the keys to Tony. “It’s going to be a long night. For everyone.”

“Do you want Kate or McGee to go back with you and get started on the computer stuff?”

“No. Change of plans. Give the keys to Kate, she’s now in charge here. I want you to ride back with us. Let them finish with the crime scene. I have another team coming in to assist.”

“I’ll be back in a flash.”

Gibbs indicated for the officer to open the back door of his cruiser. “Blake,” he said.

“Yes?”

“We found evidence there were children in the house. Where are they now?”

“They’re safe. They’re with my wife, Sheila.”

“There are two more bodies in your house. Care to explain?”

Blake immediately began weeping, his hand on his forehead. “They’re dead? Both of them? Are you sure?”

“Yes. They’re dead. Who were they?”

“Jewel and Eddie. I can’t believe they’re dead. I can’t believe this happened. Why did this happen?”

“Did you kill them, too?”

“No. No! Of course not. It was Brian. He attacked them. Then he came after me when I tried to stop him.”

“Okay. I’m going to take you to NCIS where we can talk some more.” Before walking around the car to the passenger side, Gibbs glanced back across the yard. His team said they had cleared the house. He had to trust them. Shaking his head, he muttered, “I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.”


	2. A Shot

Gibbs let Blake sit alone in the interrogation room for over an hour, as he and Tony watched from observation. Gibbs sipped his coffee wordlessly.

“I don’t get it, Boss. He told the cops he was the only one there. Then when you tell him there are two bodies in his house, he asks if they’re still alive? Then says his brother killed them?”

Standing close to the window, Gibbs took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “You think he killed them all?”

“I’m not sure what to think.”

“He’s shaken, probably in shock. Maybe he wasn’t sure what to think either,” said Gibbs as he tossed his empty cup and walked toward the door. “Maybe when he said he was the last one, he meant he was the only son left in his family after he shot his brother.”

Tony followed Gibbs into the interrogation room and moved an extra chair next to Gibbs’. 

The closed file dropped onto the table along with a notepad, landing with a soft thud as Gibbs took a seat. “I have three dead bodies. All at your residence. I need to know what happened.”

“I told you. Brian killed them. Then he came after me.”

“Let’s back up,” said Gibbs, as he positioned a pen over the pad. “We’ll start with full names first. Who was the woman?”

“Her name is Jewel Jamison. She lives with me and my wife.”

Tony raised his eyebrows. “Where is your wife?”

“I told her to take the kids to safety.”

Gibbs shot a glance to Tony. “We’ll get there,” he said softly. Turning back to Blake, he asked, “And the other man?”

“Eddie Akins. He’s a friend from work. He was dating Jewel.”

“How many children were in the house?”

“Just two. My son, Darren, and Jewel’s daughter, Amberlyn. She’s just a baby, and now she doesn’t have a mother. Or father.”

“Eddie was Amberlyn’s father?”

“No. Brian was. That’s why he was so mad. He stopped by and saw Eddie there. Brian couldn’t accept that Jewel was moving on.”

“Tell me about the victims. Why were they all at your house?” Gibbs asked, pen in hand, jotting down notes.

“Like I said, Jewel lives with us. She was a model, but couldn’t get jobs after she became pregnant. She was evicted from her apartment, so we took her in.”

“Brian knew she lived there?”

“Yes, of course. He’s family. Was family. Look, it just didn’t work out between them. He loved Jewel, but she didn’t love him. She wanted to get married, but not to Brian. My wife and I hosted a super bowl party last year. Eddie and Jewel hit it off.”

“Did Brian know she was seeing anyone else?”

Blake shook his head. “No. I don’t think so. He’s been deployed.” 

“Tell me about him.”

“Brian got into some trouble when he was around fourteen or fifteen. He was picked up for shoplifting and was dabbling in drugs. Our father was afraid Brian was going down a wrong path, and asked that I intervene. Brian moved in with us for his senior year.”

“When did he meet Jewel?”

“He met her at my wedding. She’s my wife’s cousin. He fell for her hard, but she was a couple years older and had a promising modeling career. He kept asking her out until she agreed. He couldn’t find a job after he graduated high school so he joined the Navy. When he found out she was pregnant, he started asking about becoming a Navy Seal. He wanted to prove to her that he could support a family. He was working so hard to realize his dreams. We all thought he’d straightened out.”

“Did Jewel and Brian live together at your house?”

“No. Jewel had an apartment when she was modeling. He’d stay with her overnight sometimes, but Jewel wouldn’t let him move in. She didn’t move in with us until after she was pregnant and lost her apartment. Brian had enlisted before that.”

“So Jewel was at the house last night, and Eddie came over. And then Brian came over. Why?”

Blake shook his head. “There was a game on. I invited Eddie over to watch the game. I didn’t even know Brian was in town. He just stopped by and said he was on leave. He wanted to visit me and see Jewel and Amberlyn.”

“Is that when he found out about Eddie?”

“I don’t know. I invited him in to watch the game with us. He kept staring at Jewel and Amberlyn. Jewel took him into the kitchen. We could see them, but couldn’t really hear them until they raised their voices. I was concerned, so I lowered the volume on the TV set and listened.”

“Any idea what they were talking about?” Gibbs asked.

“From what I saw and heard, she was telling him that she didn’t love him and didn’t want to marry him; that she would never marry him. She said he was too immature to raise a child and she wanted him to give up his parental rights. He was mad about that. I heard her say she was sorry and didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but he just wasn’t the right man for her. She said she was moving on, and he needed to move on, too. Honestly, it wasn’t the first time they’d had that conversation.”

Tony checked his cell phone, then flipped it around to display a couple photos to Blake. “Do you recognize this?”

“It’s one of our kitchen knives.”

“It’s the knife that was used to kill Jewel and Eddie.”

Gibbs nodded to Blake, “How long were they in the kitchen?”

“Just a few minutes. Maybe five or ten. They came back into the living room and everything seemed okay. A few minutes later, Jewel went to the bathroom. Brian got up and went back to the kitchen. I thought he was getting a beer. He must have grabbed the knife. He followed Jewel down the hallway and confronted her. We heard yelling, then screaming.”

“He attacked her,” Gibbs said flatly. 

“If he couldn’t have her, then no one would,” added Tony.

Blake sniffled and wiped away a couple of tears. “Eddie ran down the hallway and started fighting with Brian. He was trying to protect Jewel. Brian was strong and trained by the Navy. I saw him stabbing Eddie like he was nothing. There was blood everywhere. I went to my bedroom and got my gun.”

“Where is your bedroom?”

“In the back. It’s an addition with a bedroom and bathroom. Jewel and the kids were on the other side of the house, down past the bathroom where he attacked her.”

“Do you have a gun permit?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Why did you retrieve your weapon?”

“Brian was acting crazy. He was covered in blood. I thought the gun would scare him off. I fired a couple shots down the hallway, over his head.”

“But it didn’t stop him,” said Gibbs as he scribbled onto his notepad.

“Jewel had stopped screaming. Eddie was down on the floor and not moving. I knew they were dead, and that Brian had killed them. His eyes were crazy like he was possessed or something.”

“But you still confronted him?”

“I had to. I had to protect my family. I told my wife to take the kids and get far away. I thought he was going to kill us all. I just wanted to give them time to get away. Brian was yelling at me, saying we had turned Jewel against him. He charged at me, and I ran out the door. He caught up to me and started stabbing. I pointed my gun and him and pulled the trigger. I had to. He would have killed me, too.”

“Self-defense,” Tony said softly.

Blake patted his chest with his hand. “My father asked me to look out for Brian. And I took his life. I killed my little brother.”

“You didn’t have a choice,” said Gibbs. “He would have killed you, too, if you hadn’t taken him out. NCIS will not be pressing charges at this time.”

“Have you heard from your wife?” Tony asked.

Brian looked down and shook his head. “I just told her to get out of there; to get the kids to a safe place.”

“Where would she go?”

When Blake didn’t answer Tony’s question, Gibbs pushed. “We need to find her. We need you to try to reach her,” he said as he passed his phone across the table.

Blake picked it up and dialed a number. After a few seconds, he said, “Hey Baby, I need to know you’re okay. Call me back. I love you.” Turning back to the agents, he added, “She probably went to her mother’s place, or maybe one of her sisters. I don’t know the numbers, but they’re in my cell phone back at the house.”

“Do you know the addresses?”

“Yeah.”

Pushing his pad of paper and pen across the table, Gibbs said, “Write them all down; full names and addresses. I also need a description of the car your wife drives and the license plate number.”

Tony’s brows furrowed. “How did Brian get to your house last night? Did he drive?”

Blake shook his head. “He’s on leave from the Navy. He doesn’t have a car.”

“Cab?”

“Brian is frugal. He would have tried to get a friend to drive him.” Blake paused for a moment. “He didn’t say. We didn’t ask.”

“Why did you let him in with Eddie there?” asked Gibbs.

“He’s my blood. I didn’t even think about it. Jewel had already told him she didn’t want to marry him. I don’t know. I thought he understood she would be seeing other guys. He kept trying to win her back.”

“Did he ever propose to her?”

“Yeah. When she told him she was pregnant. He wanted to do right by her. She turned him down. They hadn’t really dated long before she got pregnant. Maybe two or three months.”

Tony shifted in his seat and tapped his pen against the table. “Maybe he always believed she would change her mind.”

“She was firm with him. She had fun dating him, but said she was going to end the relationship whether she was pregnant or not. She still saw him as immature. She wanted to get married and raise her baby, but she wanted to find someone she felt was a better match.”

“Do you have somewhere else to stay?” asked Gibbs.

Blake stared at him blankly.

“Your house is a crime scene. You can’t stay there for a while. Not until we’re done processing it.”

“You shouldn’t stay there until it’s cleaned up,” added Tony. “There’s blood everywhere. You don’t want that memory.”

“I can stay with my dad.”

“I’ll have an agent drop you off,” said Gibbs.

“What am I going to tell my dad?”

“This is not your fault. You have a right to defend yourself and your family. If I were in your place, I would have done the same thing.”

Tony pushed back his chair as he stood up. “If Brian had killed you last night, your father would still be mourning a son today.”

Blake’s eyes were staring blankly at the table. “I don’t understand how this happened.”

~~~ NCIS BIG BANG CHALLENGE 2017 ~~~ 

Tony and Gibbs returned to the bullpen to find Kate and McGee were already back and working at their desks.

“Where are the wife and kids?” Gibbs asked openly. “How did Brian Barnes get to his brother’s house?”

“Oh, I have that,” said Kate, flipping through her notes. “A neighbor saw two men in an older model white Chevrolet Impala drop him off. They sat out in the car while he went into the house. The neighbor thought it was weird that they just sat there for so long, so he jotted down their plate number. He thought they might be casing the neighborhood to burglarize it. He saw them peel out of there when he heard gunfire. He thought it may have been them firing.”

“Run the plate. Find out who they are and get them in here.”

“On it,” said Kate as she ran the plate on her desktop computer.

“Tony, find the missing wife and kids.”

“Sheila Barnes, Darren Barnes and Amberlyn Jamison. I am on their trail.”

“McGee, background everyone involved. I want to know about the players.”

“Checking the backgrounds, Boss.”

~~~ NCIS BIG BANG CHALLENGE 2017 ~~~ 

Hours later, Gibbs returned from interviewing the sailors who worked with Brian Barnes. As he rounded his desk to take his chair, he asked, “What do we have and where is DiNozzo?”

“He said he had a lead,” said Kate. 

“Did you find out who was in the Impala?”

“Yes. It’s owned by an old friend of Brian’s, Ray King. They went to high school together.”

“Does he have a record?”

“Yeah. Mostly drugs, possession and distribution.”

Gibbs nodded. “Blake said Brian had dabbled in drugs, but he gave it all up to join the Navy. So why is he hanging out with this guy again? Details, McGee. What did you find out?”

“Sheila and Blake were high school sweethearts. They married young. She’s a hair stylist and he is an auto mechanic.”

“Neither job pays much,” added Gibbs.

“No, but they live in a neighborhood they can afford. They’re making ends meet. Jewel Jamison is Sheila’s younger cousin. She won a couple teen beauty contests and was offered a modeling contract.”

“Until she met Brian and got pregnant.”

“That’s true. She had to stop modeling, but had recently begun sending out her resume again. She’s been teaching aerobics part-time at a local gym.”

“But it didn’t pay enough for her to keep up her own apartment.”

“That is correct,” Tim confirmed. “She was evicted about a year ago and moved in with Sheila and Blake.

“Blake said Brian proposed, but Jewel turned him down. This is looking like a case of a scorned lover. He couldn’t have her, and wasn’t going to let her be happy with another man.”

Tony stepped off of the elevator. “I think we have a problem, Boss.”

“Did you find the wife and kids?”

“No.”

“No? Where the hell can they be?”

“Mrs. Barnes’ mother never saw her or heard from her. I tried the sisters, too. Her mother reached out to other family members in the area. We tried Sheila’s cell phone and got her voicemail,” Tony explained.

Gibbs turned to Tim. “Can you trace it?”

Tim quickly tapped his keyboard while the others watched. “It’s been turned off. The last ping I can get is at their house.”

“Boss?” Tony began. “I have more. The police recovered her car. They found it abandoned in a bad part of town. There’s a little blood. Not enough to imply death, but it sure looks like someone was injured.”

“I want that car brought here,” Gibbs shouted.

“It’s already here. Abby came in early and is checking it for prints.”

“DiNozzo, with me.”

Tony quickly followed Gibbs into the elevator. They made a brief stop for beverages before continuing down to Abby’s lab.

“What do you have, Abs?” asked Gibbs, as he placed a Caf-Pow on her table.

“I recovered some prints. We have a couple unidentified from the passenger side dashboard.” Abby reached for the Caf-Pow and took a sip.

“The kids would have been in the back,” said Tony.

Gibbs pointed at Abby’s computer. “See if you can pull prints for Ray King. He went to high school with Brian Barnes. Tim said that he has a record so his prints must be on file. Find out who he hangs out with and run their prints, too.”

“Is your gut telling you something?” Tony asked.

“Oh yeah. I think there is a reason they didn’t just drop Brian off. Blake said they were watching a game and that Brian came in and started watching with him. How long were his friends supposed to hang around outside? All night? What the hell were they doing?”

Abby turned and began searching databases. It didn’t take long for her to pull the AFIS prints for Ray, and compare them with the ones she pulled from the car. “No match with Ray.”

“The Impala was his. He was probably the driver. We need to ID his passenger.”

“I’m searching for his known friends and people who were busted with him.” A few minutes passed before Abby announced, “I have a match. Ken Watson was in her car. He went to high school with Brian and Ray.”

Leaning close, Gibbs planted a kiss on her temple. “Thanks, Abs.”

Tony was on his heels as they left the lab and entered the elevator. “Hey Boss, how come Abby gets a kiss and I get a smack on the head?”

Gibbs raised an eyebrow. “Do you want me to kiss you?”

“Uh, I don’t know what I was saying. We’ve been up for over twenty-four hours and I’m saying crazy things. It’s just always nice to be recognized.”

“Solve this case, find those kids, and I will see what I can do.”

Tony tried to hide his smile as he imagined Gibbs kissing him.

The pair stopped off in the bullpen long enough to collect their weapons and for Gibbs to call out, “Grab your gear.”

Tim and Kate raced to catch up with Tony and Gibbs in the elevator. 

“Is there a break in the case?” asked Kate.

“Abby found Ken Watson’s fingerprints on the passenger side dashboard of Sheila Barnes’ car. He’s a high school friend of Brian Barnes and Ray King. I will bet he was waiting in the car with Ray outside of the Barnes’ house last night.”

“Do you think Brian came to kill everyone in the house?” Tim asked. “Maybe his friends followed Sheila when she took the kids from the house.”

“According to the neighbor, they left at a high speed just after Blake shot Brian,” said Gibbs.

Tony checked his watch. “But Sheila had left only a few seconds before that. If they went in the same direction, they must have come up on her within a few minutes. They could have her. And the kids.”

As the elevator doors opened, Gibbs turned to Tim. “Can you search traffic cameras for that time, around eight?”

“Of course. It will be better if I do that from my desktop, but the laptop will work. It may take longer.”

“We don’t have time. Go back to the desk and see if you can find out where they went.”

Tim remained in the elevator car as the others stepped out. “On it, Boss. I will let you know when I find something.” 

With Gibbs driving the sedan, the team was flying through the streets, heading toward the location where Sheila’s car had been found. It was an old parking lot with cracked pavement, weeds, and plenty of broken glass and trash. The surrounding buildings were old and rundown.

Gibbs surveyed the area. “Who reported the missing car as found?”

Tony was at his side in a second. “It was over here, Boss,” he indicated the far side of a parking lot. “Reported by a street cop. I had McGee put a BOLO out on it earlier.” 

“Good job, DiNozzo.”

“Still no kiss?” Tony mumbled as he walked over to search the spot where the car had been found.

Gibbs glared. “We have a missing woman and two missing children. And you’re making jokes?” 

“No, Boss. I am searching for our missing woman and kids.”

Flipping open his phone, Gibbs called into the office. “McGee, what did you find?”

“I found Sheila’s car on a traffic cam. I’m following her.”

“Does she have any family in this area of town?”

“No. Oh, no. I see it here, Boss.”

“What, McGee?”

“Ray King bumped her at a stop light. Ken Watson jumped out of Ray’s car and into Sheila’s. It looks like he may be holding a gun on her.”

“Keep searching McGee. Can you also check to see if Ray King or Ken Watson has any connection to this area?”

“I’m checking.”

“Let me know when you have something.” Closing his phone, Gibbs turned to face Kate and Tony. “Spread out. See if you can find anything that looks out of place.”

Kate noticed a handful of shops were nearby. “I’ll check with the businesses to see if they have any information.”

“I’ll take that apartment building, see if there are any witnesses,” said Tony, nodding to the largest structure in the immediate area. 

Gibbs stood in place for a few moments and listened to the sounds. He could hear cars honking, some sort of construction going on a couple blocks away, jumbled conversations, and kids. It was early, with the sun still rising, but there were a few people on the move in the neighborhood. He discerned a myriad of sounds; laughing, crying, chatter, machinery, vehicles, chirping birds and barking dogs. 

He had only taken a few steps when he heard gunfire. Several shots rang out. Kate ran out into the street and looked to Gibbs. As he took off toward the apartment building Tony was checking, he signaled for Kate to follow.

The pair burst into the hallway with guns drawn. In a matter of moments, they found Tony on the floor just outside of an apartment. With one hand he was still clinging to his gun. He was covering his own abdomen wound with the other as blood seeped through his fingers. There were two other bodies in the hallway, and an open apartment door with two bullet holes in it.

Kate checked one of the bodies, and shook her head. Gibbs checked the other. “Dead,” he said before moving over to Tony, and checking his wounds. “Hold on. We’ll get help on the way.”

As Tony struggled to breathe, he reached for Gibbs. “D-don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me.” Dropping his gun, Tony grabbed for Gibbs’ wrist. “Need you.”

Gibbs quickly dialed his phone. “McGee, Agent down, pinpoint my cell phone and get an ambulance here ASAP. Then send Ducky, we have a couple more bodies.” He quickly slipped his phone into his pocket and motioned for Kate to continue into the apartment. “Are there any more perps?” he asked Tony.

“Two more that I saw. I think I hit one of them as they took off down the hallway. That direction,” he said as he pointed.

“I see a blood trail.”

“Don’t leave me,” Tony repeated, still grasping at Gibbs’ arm.

Gibbs pulled Tony’s hand from his wrist and gave him back his weapon.

“Empty,” said Tony.

Gibbs checked his extra clip and loaded it into Tony’s gun. “You’re good. Hold on. We’ll be back. We have to clear the building. There is an ambulance on the way. You’re going to be fine. Keep pressure on your wound.”

“Don’t go,” whispered Tony as he clutched at his injury and watched Gibbs move in to clear the apartment.

“Hold on, Tony. Help is coming,” Gibbs said as he pushed aside the door.

A couple minutes later, Gibbs and Kate returned to the hallway before disappearing into the stairwell, leaving Tony behind, struggling with his pain. 

Every time a door cracked open, Tony warned the occupants to stay inside, close their door and take cover.

~~~ NCIS BIG BANG CHALLENGE 2017 ~~~ 

Gibbs and Kate moved cautiously down the stairwell as they followed the blood trail. Before long, they could hear the sirens. Gibbs hoped it was the ambulance bringing help to Tony, but he was also open to having backup on the scene.

The sound of his phone ringing had Gibbs rolling his eyes. “What, McGee? We’re a little busy here.”

“The building you’re in, Ray King is the maintenance man and his aunt is the manager. They both live in the building.”

“Do either of them live on the second floor?”

“They both do. She’s in apartment A, he’s in B.”

“We’re chasing a couple guys that came out of B. We followed a shooter to the lower level. Looks like they left through a rear door.”

“I called to tell you that I was monitoring the traffic cams and saw a burgundy sedan leave the area at a high speed. The police stopped the car, and have arrested Ray King. He’s in a friend’s car. The friend, Carl Robinson, was in the back seat. He’s been shot.”

“DiNozzo thought he hit one of them. I want to question them.”

“I will let the PD know.”

“I need another team here now.”

“Murphy’s team is on the way.”

“What about you, McGee? Are you on the way?”

“Uh, sure. I’m leaving now. But Boss?”

“Yeah, McGee?”

“I think I found something on the net. I think Ray is trying to sell Jewel’s baby. I traced his ISP activity and found pictures and an auction.”

“Get here! Everyone reports to me. I want this building cleared.”

Continuing through the lowest level, Gibbs ducked into the laundry room, and checked out the storage area, with Kate at his six. As they continued down the hallway, they turned and listened to the increasing noise of machinery.

At the end of a dimly lit hallway was a grimy door with a plaque that read “Maintenance”. Gibbs motioned for Kate to stop. He kicked the door twice before it gave way and opened.

“McGee said they were caught. Who are we looking for?” Kate asked.

“Sheila and the kids. What better place to hide them?”

“You do have a point there. This noise would certainly drown out any screaming or crying.”

The pair moved slowly through the room. Large HVAC units chugged along. Water dripped onto the floor and snaked its way toward a drain. There were ripped, tattered boxes and worn tools scattered throughout the room. Along one wall was a stack of paint cans and a ladder. Other boxes held light bulbs, door knobs, locks and other various hardware pieces. 

Some of the overhead lighting was burned out. Gibbs moved deliberately, aiming for a section in the back: a walled storage area. The door was not only locked, but had a heavy beam of wood across the door, which would prevent anyone from kicking their way out.

Gibbs lifted the beam from across the door and set it aside, while Kate held her gun aimed at the door. Glancing around, Gibbs saw a screwdriver and used it to pop the hinges off the door so he could pull it open. The moment the light filtered into the room, he could see the missing woman and the two children. She rocked the toddler in her arms, while her young son slept on a dirty sleeping bag strewn across the concrete floor.

“Please don’t hurt us,” she begged.

“We’re here to help. Special Agents Gibbs and Todd from NCIS.”

“Thank God,” she said as tears began to flow.

Gibbs offered her his hand. “Can you walk? Are the children okay?” 

“I think we’re okay. Thank you for finding us so quickly. Praise the Lord.”

There was a foul smelling bucket, obviously used as a toilet, a couple dirty towels, a few potato chip bags and a couple empty plastic water bottles. “We’ll get you some help. First we need to get you all to the hospital to be checked out.”

“Is Blake okay?”

“He’s a little shaken, but he’s going to be fine.”

“Brian?”

Gibbs shook his head.

“Jewel and Eddie?”

“They didn’t make it. I’m sorry.”

“Oh no! He’s made his baby an orphan. How could he do that?”

“I don’t know. Can you tell us why you were brought here?”

“They’re crazy,” Sheila said, wiping the tears from her eyes. “They rammed me at a stop light, and one of them jumped into the passenger side and pointed a gun at me. With the kids in the back, I was afraid they would hurt the children. They brought us here, then took the baby for a while. She came back crying.”

“Is she hurt?” Gibbs asked as he reached for the sleeping toddler.

“I don’t know. They wouldn’t get me any diapers for her. I was making do with the towels they gave us.”

Gibbs nodded as he cradled the sleeping little girl, wrapped in a bath towel. “The important thing is that you’re all safe now.”

Murphy’s team arrived and began processing the apartment and the maintenance area, while Gibbs and Kate escorted Sheila and the children to a waiting ambulance.

“Can you please let my husband know that we’re okay?” Sheila asked.

“Absolutely. He’ll meet you at the hospital,” Gibbs promised as he handed the toddler over to an EMT. The child blinked her eyes open and waved at him, which brought a smile to his face. “Be safe,” he whispered. A moment later, the child was crying as he walked away.

His next stop was back to the hallway where he had left Tony. Ducky and Jason were busy with the two bodies. “Did you see Tony, Duck?” Gibbs asked.

“They were loading him into an ambulance as we arrived.”

“Did they say how he was?”

“They were rushing him to Bethesda after stabilizing him.”

“Did you get a look at his wounds?”

“Not hardly. They said he was hit in the abdomen off to the side. One bullet went through and the other did not. That’s really all I know.”

“He was shot twice?” asked Gibbs as he eyed the two holes in the door. “Will he be okay?”

Ducky motioned toward the bullet holes that had garnered Gibbs’ attention. “If those were the shots that hit him, the door would have slowed the bullets. There is likely less damage than if the door had been opened. As for the poor boy’s outcome, I will check with his surgeon in a few hours. To make a guess now would be useless. I simply do not possess enough knowledge on his state to provide an educated response.”

“I’m going to the hospital now. I want those bodies held until I review your autopsy reports on them.” Turning back to Kate, he noted, “I want you to follow up on Ray King and the other guy that was with him. This is our case, I want them at NCIS for questioning. Let Murphy’s team handle the crime scene.”

“What about McGee?”

“Have him follow up on Sheila and the kids. And call Blake Barnes. Let him know they’ve been found, are all okay and are on their way to the hospital,” he called over his shoulder as he walked away.

Flooring the gas pedal caused the tires to squeal as Gibbs pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward the hospital.


	3. A Chance

Gibbs sat in the waiting room for hours while Tony was in surgery. Ducky joined him in the afternoon. 

“Don’t you have a couple autopsies to perform?”

“Jethro, there is a time for work, and there is a time for family. Mr. Patel is taking care of the preliminaries. I will continue the autopsies later. Those dead bodies aren’t going anywhere. We need to be here for Anthony.”

They sat together in near silence, save for Gibbs drinking his coffee and Ducky sipping on his tea. Gibbs smiled as he watched Ducky nod off from time to time. He himself remained alert.

Eventually, a slim, brunette doctor approached them. “I’m looking for Special Agent Gibbs.” 

“That would be me,” said Gibbs. “This is our ME, Dr. Mallard.”

“I’m Dr. Helen Astin,” she said, offering her hand. “Agent DiNozzo is in recovery. He was very fortunate.”

A sigh of relief escaped from Gibbs. “He’s going to be alright?”

“Probably. We’ll need to observe him for a while. Infection is a real risk to him right now.”

“No serious damage from the bullets?” asked Ducky.

“The bullets were small caliber, and didn’t appear to have as much force as they could have,” explained Dr. Astin.

“He was shot through a door,” said Gibbs.

Dr. Astin nodded slowly. “That would have slowed the bullets and lessened their impact. One bullet nearly missed him. It went through and through. The other bullet remained lodged, but didn’t hit anything major. He’s going to be sore and will need a few weeks of recovery.”

“When can we see him?” Gibbs asked.

“If you would like to wait in his room, we will bring him up in a few minutes, once he’s awake. He’s going to be groggy and may not seem like himself, but you can spend a few minutes with him if you would like.”

“Will he be released tomorrow?”

“No, Agent Gibbs. As I mentioned, the real concern now is an infection. I won’t release him until I feel he is out of danger. He needs to stay here where we can observe him for a few days. After that, he can’t stay alone for a while. He’s going to need someone to keep an eye on him for several weeks. He will have some restrictions, such as lifting and other physical activities. There are too many risks for him to stay alone.”

“He can stay with me.”

Gibbs tossed his coffee cup into the trash and followed Ducky to the elevator. They waited another twenty minutes before Tony was brought into the room.

“How are you feeling?” Gibbs asked softly.

Tony frowned and tugged at the sheet. “You left me!”

Gibbs reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. “I’m here.”

“I was shot. I could have died. And you just left me.”

“We had to get the bad guys.”

“I could have bled to death.”

“You didn’t. You’re going to be fine.”

“No thanks to you,” mumbled Tony as he turned away. “I’m tired. Go away and let me sleep.”

Gibbs rubbed Tony’s shoulder. “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I feel like crap.”

“They’re going to keep you here for a few days, then you’re going to stay at my house.”

“Do I have a choice?”

“No. Doctor’s orders.”

Gibbs and Ducky remained until Tony fell asleep. 

As they walked down the hallway, Ducky said, “Don’t take his words to heart.”

“He feels like I abandoned him.”

“He’s not himself. The anesthesia can make anyone seem unlike themselves. His health and his mood will improve in the coming days.”

“We’ll see.”

Gibbs stopped by the hospital every day to fill Tony in on their cases and watch over him as he slept. After ten days, Dr. Astin released Tony, provided he agreed to stay with Gibbs until he was fully recovered.

~~~ NCIS BIG BANG CHALLENGE 2017 ~~~ 

Gibbs picked Tony up in front of the hospital. Once they arrived at his house, he gave Tony a hand getting up the steps and over to the couch.

“Your things are upstairs,” he said.

“What things? My gun?”

“Your weapon is part of our investigation. It’s being checked out. Abby went to your apartment and packed some items for you. If you need anything else, let me know.” 

“You let Abby dig through my underwear?”

“It was her or Kate.” 

Rolling his eyes, Tony asked, “You couldn’t do it?”

“What makes you think I want to go rooting through your underwear?”

“I’m staying down here. On the couch,” insisted Tony, folding his arms to indicate his determination.

“That’s where I sleep.” 

“I’ll scoot over.”

“Take the bed. You need your rest.”

“Exactly. Upstairs is boring. I’ve seen your upstairs. There is no television. No DVD player. No refrigerator. I’d have to come downstairs for everything and I’m not sure I’m up to going up and down the stairs all day.”

“Fine. You can sleep on the couch,” Gibbs relented as he handed the remote to Tony, before taking a seat on the nearby upholstered chair. He pulled out his reading glasses and began scanning over case files while Tony watched television.

The pair sat silently for hours as Tony watched a couple movies, and Gibbs read and made notes. Eventually, Gibbs set his files aside, rose and went into the kitchen.

“I’ll take a beer,” Tony yelled after him.

“No, you won’t. Doctor’s orders, no alcohol,” Gibbs called across the room. “I’m making you dinner. Do you want to eat there or at the table?”

“Couch is easier for me. I think.”

A short time later, Gibbs delivered two plates to the coffee table and waited for Tony to swing his legs out of the way. As Tony sat up, he eyed the meal. “Did you really make all this?”

Gibbs had bit into his garlic bread, chewed and swallowed before answering. “Fornell dropped off the spaghetti, the sauce, and bread along with directions to heat it all up. I managed to sauté the broccoli on my own. Doctor said you should have fresh vegetables. And fruit. There is plenty of fresh fruit in the kitchen.”

“Gift baskets?”

“A few. People are concerned.”

“Are you?”

Gibbs stopped eating and turned toward Tony and stared at him. “Of course. As long as we’ve been together, how can you think that I don’t care?”

“I remember you leaving me behind. Hurt. Shot. Bleeding. And you walked away. I thought Marines never leave a man behind.”

“I came back. I had dirtbags to chase down. I had a crime scene to secure.”

“And I could have bled to death,” snapped Tony as he twirled his fork in the pasta.

Gibbs took a stab at levity. “You weren’t bleeding that much.”

“You checked the dead guy more than you checked me.” Tony frowned and poked at the broccoli.

“Tony, you are fine. I care. Let’s move on. Okay?”

After a long sigh, Tony said, “Fine.” He didn’t say another word to Gibbs the rest of the night.

~~~ NCIS BIG BANG CHALLENGE 2017 ~~~ 

The next day, Gibbs went back to the office, taking his stack of case files with him. Tony sat alone on the couch and cycled through all the stations several times. Throughout the day, he drifted off, tossing and turning beneath an old blanket and quilt.

When he woke up, he did his best to stay hydrated and was mildly amused that Gibbs had removed all of the beer from the refrigerator. Tony toyed with the thought of hiding Gibbs’ bourbon from him in retaliation, but was afraid that if he could manage to get down the stairs to the basement, he may not have the energy to return upstairs.

In the middle of the day, Ducky stopped by and checked all of Tony’s vitals. “I prescribe less television for you, my dear boy.”

“I can’t do anything else.”

“Nonsense. You could read. Jethro has plenty of books. And I suggest you get up and walk a little bit several times a day.”

“I’m not sure I can. I’m so tired all the time.”

“The sooner you get up and walking, the sooner you will feel better. I promise you that. You needn’t walk far. Start by walking half a block and work your way up from there. Come along. I will walk with you.”

“What if I pass out?” Tony asked.

“You won’t. And if you do, I will call an ambulance.”

“I don’t want to go back to the hospital.”

“If you keep slacking off instead of working on recovery, people may think you never want to return to work.”

“Of course I want to return to work. Do you think I like lying on Gibbs’ sofa all the time?”

“Then prove it. Get up and let’s go for a walk.”

“I’m in my underwear.”

“I will be back momentarily,” said Ducky. Turning around, he walked over to the stairway and disappeared from Tony’s view for a couple of minutes. When he returned, he handed over a pair of gray sweatpants and a T-shirt.

“Don’t tell anyone,” said Tony as he pulled the sweats on slowly.

“Tell them what?”

“That I’ve been in Gibbs’ pants.”

“Your secret is safe with me.”

Tony managed to hobble down the steps in front of the house, and walk about half a block with Ducky at his side, before he wanted to return to the house.

“I suggest you do that at least three or four times a day. The more you walk, the faster your health and strength will return.”

“And the faster I can return to work.”

“Of course. And you are dearly missed.”

“Abby told me Tim is on temporary assignment until I come back.”

“He has some large shoes to fill.”

“Thanks for stopping by,” said Tony as he snuggled under the blanket.

Hours after Ducky left, Abby arrived lugging in her slow cooker as daylight was fading. “I cooked you some homemade jambalaya,” she announced on her way to the kitchen.

With a yawn and a stretch, Tony shifted to sitting up. “What?”

“I brought you food! Jambalaya. It’s been cooking all day.”

Crinkling his nose, Tony asked, “In your lab?”

“Yes, in my lab, which now smells fabulous.”

“Did any lab stuff get in there?”

“Don’t be silly,” she responded as she sat in the chair. “I just plugged it in to heat it up. It’ll be ready in a half hour or so.”

Lying back down, Tony rolled away from her and closed his eyes. “Okay.”

Finger by finger, Abby pulled off her lace gloves, then leaned over to shake Tony’s shoulder. “You shouldn’t sleep all the time. You have to get up and stay awake.”

“Why?”

“What is bothering you?”

“I’ve been shot in the gut and no one cares.”

“Anthony DiNozzo, Junior! Sit up!” Settling back in the upholstered chair with her arms folded, Abby waited for Tony to sit up and face her. “Don’t give me that bullshit. Gibbs and Ducky have seen you every single day since you’ve been shot. Kate, Timmy and I have seen you at least every two or three days. And that was because the doctors felt you weren’t up to seeing too many people every day.”

“I have a headache.”

“That’s because you’ve been sleeping too much and watching too much television. Did Ducky talk to you about getting up and walking around?”

“Yes, and we did. We walked half a block and back. So that was a whole block.”

“Well, get up and walk with me. Right now, mister.” Pulling her gloves back on, Abby grabbed her parasol, and reached her hand out to Tony. “Come on. The Jambalaya will be perfect when we get back.”

Tony rolled his eyes, then looked around for his shoes. Abby hooked her arm with his as they strolled to the end of the block and back to the house. “Even if Ducky and I have to put you on a leash, we’re going to make sure you get your walks in.”

“Great.”

After they returned to Gibbs’ house she asked, “Didn’t that make you feel better?”

“Not really. I’m so exhausted.”

“Ducky said you’re healing well. You just need to eat balanced meals and get some exercise in. Come in here and sit at the table.”

“I like to watch TV while I eat.”

“You’ve watched too much television,” she said as she turned it off. “It’s time for you to return to the world of the living. To the table with you. Now!”

Grudgingly, he rose to his feet and walked over to the table and sat down. Abby brought out two bowls and spoons. Returning to the kitchen, she rummaged through the refrigerator before bringing two glasses of milk to the table.

Tony ate a couple spoonfuls of the jambalaya, and nodded. “This is good.”

“I almost forgot,” she said before running out of the house. A minute later, she returned with a pan. Peeling back the foil revealed cornbread. Quickly cutting two small squares, she gave one to Tony and kept the other for herself. “It was too much to carry the slow cooker and the cornbread at the same time.” 

“It’s perfect,” said Tony. “Thank you for bringing this over and eating with me. I do appreciate it. I’m sorry for being grumpy earlier. I was just tired.”

“You’re not tired from the lack of sleep. Something is troubling you. Right there,” she said, tapping his forehead. When Tony sighed, she tapped his heart. “Then it’s here.”

Tony slowly looked up to meet her eyes.

“So what happened? You fell in love with a pretty nurse? A pretty doctor?”

“It’s not that easy,” Tony divulged while he scooped up another spoonful of jambalaya.

She watched Tony blow across his spoon. “You’re not pining over Voss are you?” 

“Eww, Abby, no, of course not.”

“Then what? Who?” When Tony didn’t answer, Abby continued, “You’re going to have to tell somebody, some time.”

“It’s impossible.”

“Nothing is impossible.”

“It would require the breaking of rule numero twelve.”

“Never date a co-worker? Do you have the hots for Kate?”

Tony scoffed at the thought. “Kate is like a sister to me, complete with all the sibling rivalry anyone could possibly want.”

“Tim?”

“Really, Abby?”

“No, I get it. The Silver Fox has lured you into his trap. I can see it in your eyes.”

“Lured me? On purpose?”

Abby cocked her head as she pondered on the possibility. “He’s dated a co-worker before.”

“Gibbs did? Who?”

“I’m not sure. She was a redhead. And Ducky knows all about it.”

Tony leaned forward with interest. “Tell me more.”

“They were working undercover as a married couple, and were bored, so they started sleeping together. It wasn’t meant to go anywhere.”

“But it did. Go on.”

“They got along. Ducky said they even joked that they weren’t believable as a married couple because they got along so well.”

“Some couples make it work.”

“Ducky said Gibbs proposed, and she asked to be reassigned.”

“Ouch! Does she still work for NCIS?”

“I think so. But Ducky would never tell me her name.”

“I never thought about Gibbs that way before. I never thought about any man that way before.”

“Really?” Abby asked. “All those raging teen hormones at an all-boys boarding school and you never once even thought about getting hot and heavy with another dude? Not buying it.”

“Okay. There might have been a little experimenting back in the day,” Tony admitted.

“And now you have a man crush on Gibbs,” Abby said with a smile.

“It’s not funny. And he freaking left me to die.”

Reaching across the table, Abby took Tony’s hand into her own, twining her fingers with his. “You don’t seriously believe that, do you?”

“It’s true. I was shot and bleeding out. He barely checked on me. He and Kate checked on the two guys I shot, cleared the apartment, then disappeared down the hallway.”

“I’m sure it was all a blur. There’s no way they didn’t check you out. They felt you were safe and they wanted to catch the bad guys. And I’m sure help was on the way.”

“I could have died.”

“But you didn’t, so stop sulking about that. You really need to get your mind off of this pity party for one and get better. And if you want to see if Gibbs is truly interested or not, what better place than when you have to be at his house anyway?”

“He’d kick me off his team.”

“Why?”

“He doesn’t want a guy and he doesn’t date co-workers.”

“What you need is a plan. A stakeout where the two of you can be alone in close quarters.”

“I’m not cleared for field duty.”

“Then I guess you’re just going to have to ask him,” Abby said firmly.

“Right. You want me to ask my straight boss if I can blow him, or something?”

“Talk to him.”

“He’s not big on talking.”

“Then cuddle up to him and kiss him.”

“He might punch me in the face.”

“He might kiss you back.”

~~~ NCIS BIG BANG CHALLENGE 2017 ~~~ 

Rain dampened the evening, as the streetlamps began to shine. Ducky shook the raindrops from his umbrella as he entered the pub. There was no mistaking his silver-haired friend at the bar. He approached him, sitting to his left.

“Is there a reason we are not meeting in your basement?” he asked.

Gibbs sipped his bourbon and ordered a scotch for Ducky. “Do you miss seeing the half-built boat?”

“I was questioning why we are sharing a drink at the local pub instead of in your home. I have a feeling this has to do with your houseguest.” 

“Ah, Duck. I’m afraid I broke something that can’t be fixed.”

Ducky’s fingers curled around the cool glass, as he raised it and took a sip. “You are a master builder. What do you think is so broken that you cannot mend it?”

Gibbs shook his head. “Tony. He’s barely speaking to me. Maybe he blames me for sending him into the building.”

“Tony knows the risks of the job.”

“He blames me for leaving him behind. I had to get the dirtbags. They were armed. I didn’t want anyone else to get hurt.”

“I’m sure you checked Tony and felt he would survive; that he was safe.”

“Yeah. It didn’t look too bad. I told him to keep pressure on his wound. He said Marines don’t leave men behind and I left him behind.”

“You did no such thing. Had it been a combat zone, you would have continued fighting and returned when it was safe to do so. This was no different.”

“He’s mad at me. His mood seems to change when I get home. I can’t stand seeing the hate in his eyes.”

“He is experiencing a cornucopia of feelings. Getting shot has put him into an overly emotional state. He is most certainly in pain, but he’s also conflicted.”

“About what?” 

“I may be breaking a confidence in telling you. Perhaps I could tell you a story.”

Gibbs chuckled softly. “Sure, tell me a story.”

“There was once a young man who was hired by a senior agent. There was something very special about this pair. They could read each other very well in most cases. Others who worked with them could sense it.”

“I’m reading him wrong? I can tell he’s pissed. He keeps griping that I left him alone; that I left him behind. He won’t let it go.”

“There is a song you may be familiar with which contains the lyrics, _’If I could choose a place to die, it would be in your arms’_.”

“He didn’t die.”

“Had he been mortally wounded, he would have wanted you to be there with him. He cares for you.”

“And I care about him,” Gibbs said. He rotated his glass on the bar and watched as the liquid shifted and reflected the light.

“Things have changed for him. Tony has recently become enlightened about certain feelings that he has. There is another line from the song, _‘In your heart I want to stay’_.”

“In my heart? Hell, enough with the riddles, just tell me,” demanded Gibbs.

“He has come to the realization that he is in love with you.”

Gibbs froze for a moment, then stared into Ducky’s eyes. “Tony?”

“He mentioned that when you and he were looking into renting the apartment for your last surveillance op, the building manager asked if you were a couple.”

“We’re not. We said we’re not.”

“Maybe it triggered something. And when you walked away from him after he was shot, he decided that you did not care for him in the same way. Bring stuck alone in your house while wounded gives him far too much time to sit alone and think about things.”

“I do care for him.”

“But you don’t want to be in a relationship with him. Understandable. After all, he is a man.”

“And my agent.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time you were involved with another agent,” Ducky reminded him.

“You know how that turned out.”

“Relationships are like shoes. Sometimes you have to try out a few pairs before you find the one that really fits.”

Gibbs sat up a little straighter as he signaled to the bartender to bring another round and ordered a couple burgers. “So you are thinking that I should take him a bouquet of roses, get down on one knee and propose?”

With a twinkle in his eye, Ducky smiled. “I think that no one understands you like Tony. And if you feel the slightest attraction to him, perhaps you should take a chance.”

“What if it doesn’t work out?” Gibbs asked.

“What if it does?”

~~~ NCIS BIG BANG CHALLENGE 2017 ~~~ 

It was late when Gibbs drove home. As he pulled up to his house, he could see the light from the television flickering in the window. A smile crossed his lips as he thought of Tony. The man did love his movies.

The rain had eased up a bit, but droplets still dotted his windshield. His thoughts centered on Tony. What would people think if they were together? How could he break his own rule? 

Ducky’s words flittered through his thoughts. He knew he cared for Tony. And Ducky was right: Tony could read him better than anyone else he knew. They were a good team. A great team. 

Thinking about Tony made him smile.

He sat in his truck for twenty minutes before pulling the keys from the ignition and walking up to his door. Pausing at the threshold, he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. After pushing the door closed, he turned quietly and looked into the living room. Tony was awake and watching a movie.

“I’m home,” Gibbs called out.

“Abby brought dinner: homemade jambalaya and cornbread. She put some in the fridge for you.”

“I had a burger and a drink with Ducky, at a pub.”

“Okay.”

“What are you watching?”

“Beaches.”

Gibbs stared at the screen for a moment. “Doesn’t look like the beaches of Normandy.”

“It’s not a war movie.”

“It looks like a chick flick.”

“It is.”

“What’s it about?”

“Two women meet when they’re kids and remain friends throughout their lives. They fight, they live their own lives, but somehow they are eternally linked in friendship.”

“Like you and me?”

The comment took Tony by surprise. “What?”

“You and me. We’re eternally linked. Right?”

“I don’t know. Jury’s still out.”

Gibbs walked over to the sofa and lifted up Tony’s legs so he could sit. Tony shifted into a sitting position and stared at Gibbs.

“Need something?” Gibbs asked.

“Popcorn would be nice.”

“Okay,” Gibbs said. After rising from the couch, he went into the kitchen to make popcorn and grabbed a couple sodas before returning to the living room. He set the large bowl on the coffee table and settled back into his place. “Is this a happily ever after story?”

“Yes and no. One of them dies.”

“Doesn’t sound very happy.”

“She has a daughter. The daughter and the friend don’t really get along, but at the end, they decide to live together.”

“I’m glad you’re going to be okay.”

Leaning forward, Tony reached for a handful of popcorn. “Yeah. Doc says I’m doing fine.”

“I was really worried when you were shot. I didn’t realize you’d taken two bullets.”

“I survived.”

“Obviously. I’m just trying to tell you that I care. I didn’t walk away because I didn’t care about you.” Gibbs paused, waiting for Tony to say something. When he remained silent, Gibbs continued, “I had to get the dirtbags and I thought they had something to do with the disappearance of Sheila and the kids. I knew you were going to be okay. I had to keep everyone else safe.”

“Yep, we’re all safe.”

Scooting closer to Tony, Gibbs put his arm across the back of the couch. “I couldn’t even let myself think you might not make it. I had to force myself to keep thinking you would be fine.”

“Why?”

“I would have been devastated if you had died.”

“I know you hate interviewing new agents.”

Gibbs gave Tony a light head slap. “I _care_ about you. We may be a team, with Kate, but you are my _partner_. You will always be my partner.”

“I heard you already replaced me,” Tony said sadly.

“Tim? He’s just filling in. The desk is yours when you’re ready.”

“The kid is not a bad junior agent.”

Gibbs slid even closer to Tony and set the popcorn bowl in his lap to make it easier to reach. “You like the kid?”

“Just saying, he does an okay job.”

“And you like it when he calls you sir.”

Tony smiled. “Maybe. A little bit.”

“It’s good to see you smile.”

“I’m sorry if I’ve been an ass,” Tony said.

“It’s understandable. You took two bullets. I’d be acting like a jerk, too. But I want you to know that I always, always have your six.”

“You walked away.”

“If I’d felt you were in imminent danger I would have stayed and protected you. I would have shielded you with my own body if I had to.”

“Really?” Tony asked as he looked up.

Gibbs grabbed a handful of popcorn, tossed a piece up and caught it in his mouth. After he swallowed, he glanced over to Tony. “How can you think I wouldn’t?”

There was nothing but honesty and sincerity in his blue eyes. Tony took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Tilting his head, he rested it against Gibbs’ shoulder. While digging into the popcorn bowl, he allowed his fingers to brush up against Gibbs’.

“Are we okay?” Gibbs asked softly.

“Getting there.”

“Do you want me to kiss you now? I’m not sure how many more head slaps I can give you while you’re on medical leave.”

“Is it only because Abby isn’t around?”

“Nope. If a kiss will help you believe I care, then I’m willing to do…that…for you.”

“Okay.”

Gibbs could tell from the tone of Tony’s voice that his spirits were lifting. As Tony sat up, Gibbs leaned over and kissed his cheek, which elicited a smile. After setting the popcorn bowl back on the table, he pulled Tony into an embrace and kissed him deeply, eventually breaking the kiss with a gentle nip to Tony’s lower lip.

As he pulled back, Tony ran his forefinger across his lower lip, and then settled his head back against Gibbs’ shoulder. “That was a good kiss.”

“Better than Voss?”

Tony laughed gently. “Way better than Voss.”

The pair sat in silence for a few minutes. Then Tony said, “When I was shot, I wasn’t sure I was going to make it. I wanted you beside me. Because…I don’t know.”

“If you had to choose a place to die, it would be in my arms?”

“Something like that. If I was going to die, I wanted the last thing I saw to be your blue eyes looking back at me. I wanted you to hold me and make me feel protected.”

“I promise that if I ever truly think you’re not going to make it, I will stay with you. I really do care for you. You’re a better match for me than three of my wives.”

“I care for you, too, Boss.”

“It’s Jethro when we’re at home.”

Tony smiled and wrapped his arms around Gibbs’ waist. “Does that mean I can move in when I’m better?”

Gibbs brushed a kiss across Tony’s temple, and gave his shoulder a squeeze. “We’ll see.”

The End  
09/03/2017


End file.
